Cigar lighter



July 2-3, 1929. w, BUDDS 1,722,126

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed April 29, 1928 g] II II Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES WALTER BUDDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CIGAR LIGHTER.

Application filed April 29,

My invention relates to cigar lighters and has among its other objects the production of devices of the kind described which are neat and attractive in appearance, convenient, efficientand satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a portable cigar lighter which may be positioned upon the floor beside a chair or the like and which will be of the right height for the occupant of the chair.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide an improved cigar lighter of the kind described which will automatically become functionally operative when the user brings it to the cigar.

One form of the invention is embodied in a cigar lighter which comprises a portable lamp, or stand, carrying a reel around which suitable electrical conductors are wound, a spring being provided for automatically winding the conductors around the reel. The conductors are connected to any suitable source of electrical energy through brushes carried by the reel and they connect with a resistance element in the lighter through a switch which will close the circuit when the conductors are subjected to tension.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts;

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through a portion of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line H of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section taken through the resistance elementand the handle therefor. v

Referring to the drawings wherein I have shown a preferred form of the invention embodied in a device, the reference character designates in general a floor lamp or stand,

(n line 33 of 1926. Serial No. 105,604.

comprising a suitable base 11. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the stand 10 is provided with electrical fixtures 12 but it will be understood as this description progresses that some features of the invention are not limited to such fixtures but may be embodied in any suitable stand which is p0rtable and may be positioned beside a chair, a table or the like.

As best illustrated in Fig. 1, the stand 10 comprises a substantially vertical tubular post 15 which is enlarged at 16 to provide a chamber 17, a reel 18 and other mechanism being positioned in said chamber. The reel 18 is preferably rotatably journaled upon a pin or rod 19, the ends of which are screwthreaded into wedge-shaped blocks 20, one end of the rod 19 being provided with lefthand screw threads and the other end thereof being provided with right-hand screw threads. Obviously, the rod 19 may be rotated to wedge the blocks 20 against the inner surface of the tubular member 15.

WVound around the reel 18 is a cable 22 comprising a plurality of electrical conductors 23 and 24 (see Fig. 5), the electrical conductors 23 and 24 being connected to metallic rings 25 and 26, respectively, carried by the reel 18. In the illustrated embodiment of the inven-v tion the reel 18 is formed from any suitable electrical insulation, but it is readily understood that the reel 18 may be formed of metal, if so desired, and that the rings 25 and 26 may be insulated from each other and the metal. Engaging the rings 25 and 26 are brushes 27 and 28,respectively,mounted upon a block 29 which is formed from any suitable electrical insulation and is carried by the rod 19. As shown, the block 29 is adjustably mounted upon the rod 19, nuts 30 bein provided for this purpose. The brushes 2 7 and 28 are preferably secured to the block 29 by screws 32 and 33, respectively, which also serve as binding postsso that the brushes 27 and 28 may be connected by electrical conductors 35 and 36, respectively, to any suitable source (not shown) of electrical energy. It will be noted that conductors 37 and 38 are also connected to the binding posts 32 and 33, respectively, to connect the electrical fixtures 12 with the source (not shown) of electrical energy.

Positioned adjacent the reel 18 is a spiral spring 40 which has its inner end secured to a collar 41, the collar 41 being pinned to the rod 19 and being adapted to cooperate with a collar 43 toprevent longitudinal displacement-.ofthe reel l8-- along thetrod-1'9. The outer end of the spiral spring 1s fixed to the reel 18 by a screw 44 or the equivalent, The construction is such'that the 'spring40 tends to wind the cable 22 around the reel when the spring is under tension.

Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the conductor 24 is fixed to one end of ,a switch element 46 which is pivotallymounted intermediate its ends by a 47, the

switch element, being disposed in a hollow handle 48-whichispreferably lformed' of any 7 suitable electrical insulation. A tension ,spring yieldingly holds the switch element 46 ins position wherein it does not engage a contact 52mounted within thehandle 48, the contact 52 being connected with one terminal ofza resistance element 53 embedded or Iotherwise mountedupon, a plate. 54 of any suitable electrical insulation. 'Dhe other end of the resistance'element 53 isconnected to i the conductor 23.. If the cable 22 is unwound or withdrawn-from the reel;18 against the action of the spiral springAO the tension under which the conductor 24 is placed will cause it to angular-1y displace the switch element146 into a positionwhereinthe switch .el ement engages the contact member 52. Electrical current will then flow as follows: from the'source' ofelectrical energy-through the conductor 35, the contact 27 the ring 25,. the conductor 23, the resistance 53,- the contact 52,

'the switch. element 46, the conductor- 24, the

ring 26, the brush 28 and back throughthe conductor 36 to the source. of electrical enyv,

.In-the preferred embodiment of; the invention, the enlarged portion 16 ofthe tubular post 15' is formed in the post at ,a'height which will bring the cigar lighter into a con 'venient positionfor the occupant of a chair or the like adjacent which the stand is placed.

, Anaperture 56 which is formedini the tubular postlfi, and through-which the cable. 22 is drawn when it islbeing unwound from the reel is preferably of sufficient t ze thattthe V handle 48 may be inserted therein, the handle bein preferably provided with an enlarged 'headl57 which prevents the handle from dropping into the post. The spiral spring 40 is preferably so designedthatwhen the handle48 is positioned in the aperture 56 the conductors 23, and 24 will. not be under tension.

It will be apparent that whenthe holder 48 is positioned within the-aperture 56, the tension of the spring 40 is practically exhausted so that the tension of the spring 50 will move the switch element-=46 upon its pivot and disengage the samefrom the contact 52.

lVhile l have shown the stand 10 as part of a portable lamp, it. is to be understood that I am not limited to-such construction as that partof the post 15 disposed above-the enlarged portion 10 thereof may be omitted from the constructiondf it is so -desired. .However, I find that the post of a portable lamp forms a convenient place in which to mount the reel 18 and the elements associated therewith. 1

, Having thus described my invention, it is obviousthat various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing-fromthe spirit of my invention;

Y hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, ar-

rangcment and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

l. A cigar lighter comprising a resistance element, a plurality of conductors for connecting said resistance element to a source of electrical energy, and a switch operable by tension toawhich one of said conductors is subjected for closing an electrical circuit said contact, anda conductorfor connecting saidswitch element to said'sourceof electrical energy, said last-mentioned conductor be- 7 'ing adapted to bring saidswitch element into engagement with said contact when it is tensioned.

3. A cigar lighter comprisinga switch element, a contact to be engaged by the switch element, means connecting the contact with a source of electrical energy, a spring for bold 'ing said switchelement disengaged from said -contact,.and a conductor for connecting said switch element tosaid source of electrical energy, said lastmentioned condluctor being adapted to move said switchelement into engagement with said contact when it is tensioned.

4, The combination in a clgar hghtercomprising a casing, of a pivoted switch member disposed therein, a contact member adjacent said switch member, a resistance element, a conductor joining said resistance element and said contact member, and another conductor connected to said resistance element, a spring for normally maintaining said switch memher out of, engagement with, said cont-act member, and a conductor connected to said switch member'andadapted to move the same into engagementwithsaid contact member when said conductor is tensloned.

lntestimony whereof, 'I have hereunto signed my name.

WALTER- BUDDS. 

